Roronoa Zoro has left the StrawHat's crew
by Red Skipper
Summary: The swordsman of the Straw-Hat crew has to deal with his captain's lose of Ace while at the same time finding out information affects Zoro in more ways than one. ZoroXRobin I do not own One Piece!T- for mild language. Please Enjoy and feel free to review!


Roronoa Zoro was never known to be a self-conscience man. What he saw however made him pounder of the possibility of further independence; at least for a moment.

It was a quiet day in the Thousand Sunny. The previous act of reality was the cause behind the silence. It had been 8 days since the crew had successfully joined back.

So many things have changed. So many people have changed for that matter. The ever passionate adventure seeking face of Monkey D. Luffy was now filled with distain features that made the swordsman wonder if that was the same man he saw before their separation.

Yet with the gloomy atmosphere that surrounded the crew, the wind of life still blew past them. Ussop and Chopper did with their best abilities to cheer up the captain. Which on some occasions Luffy would smile and acknowledge at least for a brief moment, that yes he was still intact with the world.

Zoro wondered if anybody knew of his actions. For the past few days Zoro had been deprived without sleep. For the past few days Zoro had watched his captain both from afar and up close.

"That shitty cook probably knows." The green haired swordsman wondered to himself. For he had noticed that more and more Sanji had given him bigger portions of food in the least effect to keep him somewhat rejuvenated.

It was sad for the swordsman to see his best friend have such a mature setting due to the effects of a lost sibling. Yet that was reality. Zoro should know. He had lost his childhood persona the day Kuina passed away. This was why Zoro was so determined to be there for Luffy. He knew how long it took to get over Kuina, but a sibling? Regardless he would wait and see, for any sign of requested help from Luffy. And Zoro would be there. Ready to help.

But it was later that evening that Zoro had watched Luffy help out Nami with her citrus plants, a request made by Nami of course; that he saw the fallen paper next to the crow nest pole. The title of the newspaper article was so intriguing the next thing the swordsman knew he was skimming through the lines.

_**Portugas D. Ace: The life of a tyrant pirate **_

_**The death of Portugas D. Ace has been accepted by most scholars to be the end of the late pirate king Gol D. Roger's legacy. For years Portugas has been a threat to the world. Mostly known for his boastful stance as the late Whitebeard's man; another pirate that lived to severe the lives of many. In total Portugas has been reported to have killed 63 innocent lives of our armed officers. Most of which had families that have been deprived of a father or husband. (For full list of these fallen men see page C-2) **_

_**Now that the man with the burning strength of a demon has left our world, one question remains to be unanswered. What next? As we all know bad people will never cease to stop their bad intentions. That is why effective immediately the accomplice of Portugas D. Ace A.K.A Portugas' adopted brother Monkey D. Luffy is now wanted more so than before. Within weeks the world government will surely raise the straw hats bounty. For now however this remains to be seen. Monkey D. Luffy is also considered to be one of the 11 supernovas. He along with his partner in crime Roronoa Zoro (another supernova) are responsible for countless deaths of innocent bystanders and marine soldiers. Interesting enough however rumors have been spreading around that the crew of Monkey D. Luffy have reunited after the Portugas and Whitebeard execution. Eye witnesses have claimed to have seen the crew leaving Mermaid Island and heading off to the New World. There is also another rumor that has spread among the seas. We treat our stories with factual information; however this piece of information is quite intriguing. **__**Roronoa Zoro has left the Straw-Hat's crew. (**__**For further reading see page C-3)**_

The swordsman now filled with a mixture of hesitation and bitterness threw the paper down.

"This is absurd, and to think they couldn't get any lower than they are," Zoro softly spoke grinding his teeth in the process.

Suddenly faint laughter was heard behind Zoro. Somehow Nami had made Luffy laugh, and sure enough the swordsman saw the old fashion grin of Luffy as he attempted to take off his soaked sandals.

"Oi Luffy be careful with my plants." The navigator spoke softly but kept a smile on her features. She knew something big had just been accomplished.

Suddenly Luffy walked over to Zoro with his soaked sandals dripping by the mild grown grass.

"Heh, Zoro could I use that paper on the ground to dry off my sandals? Your done with it right?"

The green haired man's heart stopped. Nothing mattered at this minute other than to get that newspaper as far away as possible from Luffy.

The swordsman carefully picked up the newspaper slowly covering the front page and rolled it under his arm. He put on a genuine smile for his captain.

"Sorry captain. I lost my patience with the crossword; I want to give it another shot though."

Suddenly Franky and Brook who were playing a game of chess overheard.

"You like crossword puzzles?"

Faint warmth filled the sides of the swordsman cheeks as he looked embarrassingly angry towards the newest crew members.

"Perhaps I do, why is such a concept not possible for me?!"

Both men shrugged and continued with their tense game. Luffy laughed at his first mate's reaction. Then placed his sandals next to the edge of Sunny's outlandish head.

"No worries I'll just put my sandals next to Sunny then."

Just before Zoro could sigh out of relief Sanji had called out the crew to come inside for dinner. After dinner Zoro had noticed Luffy's old self return. Twice the captain had stretched out his hands for the archeologist Nico Robin and Ussop's plate. Both needless to say felt great about their captain's gesture. This meant things were returning to normal again. And just before the crew went out to sleep Zoro had heard Luffy murmur something to Chopper and Ussop about returning to the kitchen for some more dessert later. A faint smile presented itself on the swordsman's lips.

Yet one thing had bothered him throughout the whole meal event.

"That newspaper…"

It had been tucked inside Zoro's green haramaki and had been long since anticipated to be opened and read once again.

"_Roronoa Zoro has left the Straw-Hat's crew."_

It was a lie; the ex-bounty hunter knew this. Still the curiosity that had evolved inside the mind of Zoro was now pressuring for him to open up to the next page to see just what the fine print had to say.

Sure enough the swordsman had flipped through the pages ready to take part in reading the parchment again.

"page c-3…page c-3…where is it?"

Zoro had flipped through the entire newspaper before he accepted the fact that the page was gone, perhaps lost somewhere on the ship.

It was at that moment that Zoro had wondered where the newspaper had come from anyway. There were only two people in the crew that read the newspaper. Nami being the first, who naturally used it to keep up with the world. And then there was….

Robin. Nico Robin.

Zoro casually made his way up to the crow nest. Today was Robin's night watch and Zoro knew that the paper had more than obviously been read by the archeologist.

As he stepped inside however he saw something that was perhaps not what he had foreseen Robin to be doing. Sure the raven haired woman was sitting calmly reading, but the passage she was reading was the exact thing Zoro had wanted to find.

Their eyes meet and like previous moments things got really tense.

Their relationship had been awkward lately. Well it had always been this way, the swordsman had to admit. There were times where both pirates socially participated in oratory. Only in brief moments though. Most of the time it was a silent nod to greet each other. Or simply standing near each other when facing a predicament scenario. Like his other friends however he knew Robin cared for him. Mutual respect. That was all, presently at least.

Yet it was moments like these that made Zoro wonder just how far she was willing to go to come to his support. Yesterday Robin had been really talkative with him during his night watch, at the same time keeping an eye where Luffy slept. Then she had surprised him with a question that Zoro thought would never be asked, especially in the current troubling situation with Luffy and all.

"_What really happened with you and Kuma?"_

It was the present now, and both of them kept the silence. Robin's lips formed a smile; she had prepared to explain herself. Vintage Robin; always prepared.

" Zoro-San. You're really famous in this article," she started then elegantly stood up to hand over the paper for him to read. Zoro did not move however.

Robin's cerulean eyes held a rare sense of confusion. It was truly rare. Then she kept her signature pose and placed the paper next to her seat.

"I confess that I did not get the chance to finish reading it, perhaps you can for me?" Robin looked down a bit as she said this. Her thin hair strands covering her face.

Zoro finally let out a sigh then walked over and sat next to her picking up the paper. He had to get used to Robin's petal fragrance, but he let it bother him shortly before he looked down at the words that he was about to read.

Before he could however, Robin had closed her eyes as if ready to hear Zoro's voice play as the bias writer's tone.

Zoro began to read out loud:

_**Roronoa Zoro has left the Straw-Hat's crew. (Continuation)**_

_**Known as Pirate Hunter, Demon Cutter Zoro, and more recently Roronoa Zoro the demon of East Blue. Currently has a bounty of 120,000,000 although like his captain Monkey D. Luffy is speculated to have a higher bounty within any given moment. However that is just the talk of the seas. Roronoa Zoro is expected to leave his crew in a matter of moments. He is one of the few supernovas that is not a captain of a crew nor a member of the devil fruit user community. Over and all he is a big fish in a small pond. Reports from Sabaody Archipelago claim to have heard the ex- bounty hunter yell at his captain for stealing his spotlight. **_

Zoro stopped reading and thought back if such an event did occur. It was then that he remembered jokingly commenting to Luffy that he had taken his spotlight when Luffy hit the Tenryuubito Saint Charloss.

"What is it Zoro?"

Robin had gazed at Zoro for stopping.

Then Zoro looked at her and something strange occurred. He folded the paper in half then ripped it into fourths.

The archeologist silently stood by and watched him tear the paper into shreds. Then she smiled.

"Sorry, I just hate reading lies."

Then his eyes began to stress him out. Zoro had forgotten that he had not slept in days. Was it okay to sleep now? Luffy was doing better after all.

He leaned back at the wall sitting much more comfortable than before then decided to sleep right then and there. That's when a quite weight pressed next to the swordsman's left shoulder.

The archeologist's head was placed at Zoro's side and she said only one thing to get rid of the silence. Or perhaps she said more, he could not remember. The drowsiness had overtaken him. But he remembered her say the very least, "It's a good thing I didn't finish reading it then."

"Hm. Zoro?"


End file.
